Cult of Forgotten Shadow Sermons
Shadow Sermons are public lectures given by members of the Cult. These Sermons may also include guest speakers and an open forum. The Sermons are often philosophical or political in nature. Sermon One- About Faith "Greetings to all who have gathered here on this eve, it fills me with great joy to see so many in attendance. For those of who I am stranger to, allow me to extend a humble introduction; I am Silaine Aldam, a priest within the Cult of Forgotten Shadows. I wold like to take a moment to lead us all in prayer, -insert prayer-. Now.. I would like to briefly talk of Faith, what it is to each of us. You, why don’t you start, please, take the floor and introduce yourself. I’m sure many of you are familiar with one another but I’m afraid I still must learn faces and names. Tell us about what faith means to you, what it means to have a belief in something." Sermon Two- Concerning the Light "When I awoke to wander the tortured cities and lands of our Kingdom I had no choice but to contemplate my religion. Surely, I thought, the brilliant and merciful Light would save me from my plight and grant me the peace I was stolen in death. All I had to do, I convinced myself, was remain faithful and the Light would hear my prayers. The peace never came. The Light never answered my calling nor my pleas for salvation. For a long while I was convinced that it had been me who failed the Light but as the days grew longer and the weeks turned into months I realized that it was not me who had failed the Light but rather the Light who had failed me. So as I contemplated my religion, my existence within this world, I was suddenly drawn to the sister religion of the Light- the Shadow. While I thought I knew nothing of this strange new religion, despite my own extensively religious background, I found I knew quite a bit. Each teaching seemed familiar to me, every virtue seemed to be an echo of my former life but painted with the knowledge of the reality I was soon beginning to understand and embrace. In life and in my naivety I thought of the Shadow as nothing more than the prelude to the Light, a dark force that no longer held sway on this living world. However, it was this dark state of being that allowed me to see the full extent of power that existed in the universe within and surrounding the two entities of Light and Shadow. I was becoming aware of the profound connection between them and it was this realization that brought me to an idea of what religion could be, what it should become. Furthermore, it enabled me to examine my own faith – In the Light and in the Shadow and led me to ask myself: what does it mean to be loyal to a belief or even to have a belief at all? I began to realize that the idea of belief really had no meaning at all, the root of the word at one time meant to prize or to hold dear and now it had narrowed its focus to become a tool of politics- not only of the state but of the church. I realized that the doctrines of my past life were not meant to engage but to enslave. The doctrines of Light are insignificant in the fact that they attempt to control the person. They do not take into account the reality that is human ego and human greed; they deny these parts of our existence making their application impractical to apply. In essence humans are neither good nor evil, we simply exist and the aforementioned traits are a cause of our choices. When the doctrine denies us the ability to make choices it denies us a part of our existence within this realm. We are no longer the masters, we have become the slaves. Once I became aware of this I also became aware that my belief in the Light never had any power. My loyalty to its doctrines never meant anything and that is why I had awakened not to the Light but to the Shadow. It was within the teachings of the Shadow that I found action- to commit myself, to engage myself. This, I decided, is what religion should be. The Shadow teaches us that we are the focal point of our own existence. We are an independently acting and responsible conscious being who is capable of creating our own values and determining our own meaning to life. Whatever you wish to be in this life you have the power of obtaining it! Allow yourself to engage in the religion of the Shadow, commit yourself to the betterment of your own personal agenda. Join with me and become enlightened – join with me and become empowered." Sermon Three- Shadow and Faith "Greetings to you all and welcome to this evening’s sermon. The subject of this lecture will focus around the mythos of the Shadow; please do take into consideration that like many within the Cult I have an independent view on what my religion is. With that being stated I welcome each and every one of you to join with me this eve as I embark upon a linguistic resurrection of the faith of the Shadow. First I believe it is important to separate the faith from the tool. The religion of the Shadow does not revolve around the mastery or instruction of the tool shadow magic. The religion behaves as many others would; with a doctrine that defines what it is- a doctrine that can be followed if that is the individuals wish. I will address this matter in further detail later on. Now, the tool of shadow magic can be used by any one, to wield the power of the Shadow one does not have to be a believer within the religion. The magic itself is an aspect of our Universe and is woven into every plane of existence, you only need to call and it will answer. Some may wonder where this power originated from and to that I would answer: unfortunately factual evidence on the matter is scarce. Instead, what we are left with are theories. One of the Void, one of the Spirit Realm but alas, this is not a magic lecture and I do not wish to keep each of you longer than I intended, so with that, I find myself returning to the original theme. The faith of the Shadow is an enabling religion, what does this mean exactly? It means it enables its followers to engage within its doctrine. It does not dictate, instead, it focuses upon the free will of an individual. It recognizes that each of us is a free conscious thinking entity. It seeks to restore order, it places responsibility back within the individual, in this faith, you are the master and the religion is your servant. To worship under the Shadow is to seek a higher understanding of not only the self but the universe. The first teachings, and perhaps most important, of the Shadow is to realize our own insignificance within this cycle. To accept that we have no greater purpose other than to exist, that there is no answer to why we exist. It is only after we embrace that we are of the same calibre and importance of all living things upon Azeroth that we can seek to grow. The religion of the Shadow urges its followers to encounter themselves in this new light and to define yourselves, to instill your own purpose for existence. When you have completed this, you have evolved; you have faced your ego and embraced reality and you have created your own purpose within this world. You have taken control of your existence and by doing so; you have taken responsibility for yourself- your desires, your fears, your vengeance. With your own power -not the power of a religion, not the power of a magic - but of your own personal power you can achieve whatever it is in this undeath that you desire most. You are in charge of your own destiny and you are the coordinator of your own fate. The responsibility to act lies within you and for that reason, the potential is endless. However.. One must be careful in these times and that is where the virtues of the Shadow come in. They are guidelines designed to protect its followers and to help those achieve their goals. I shall reserve the teachings of the virtues until a later sermon. I feel much has been covered within this eve and I want to allow sufficient time to ponder the information that has been given. " Sermon Four- Virtues of the Shadow "Greetings to all on this warm summer’s eve. This sermon will focus solely on the virtues of the Cult and while I would normally welcome an open forum at the lectures close, I must regretfully say that I simply do not possess the time this evening. Of course, all of you are welcome to seek me out if you have unanswered questions or wish to discuss the faith more personally. Now then, if I may have everyone's attention I believe I will begin. The Cult has five virtues opposed to the three of the Light; these five virtues are divided between primary and secondary virtues. The primary virtues are those that are believed to be the most important to the success of the individual while the secondary virtues are those that are most important to the longevity of the individual. The primary virtues consist of respect, tenacity and power. Respect; one must view our reality as a manifestation of each others will. Things form and occur because of the power of someone or something else. It is vital to not only recognize this power but to respect it. Exerting one’s will upon the universe without first examining the strength of those around you puts one in a dangerous position; therefore, it is important to be constantly aware of your situation and your fellows. Seeking power and results too quickly can mean potential conflict with those of higher power than yourself. Only a foolish follower seeks to challenge his superiors right away. Showing respect ensures a measure of self-protection which ensures potential results. Tenacity; one must not lose themselves in the face of the great despair. It is vital to the success of the individual to possess the tenacity to endure the struggles of existence in order to achieve their goals. When faced with the existential despair one must always remember that they are responsible for their own results and achievements in life. All situations have the power to change in the favor of the individual but only if the individual is committed to making the changes. With great persistence everything is achievable. Power; one must be patient when seeking power. As it has been spoken there is a constant struggle of power within the universe and one must always be aware that there will always be someone or something possessing more power than yourself. Power may be obtained at a steady pace, this method ensures that the individual is achieving a desired goal but not alerting potential threats. Learning patience while acquiring power leads to a greater success of your potential goal as it decreases the amount of threat you will receive on your journey. It is important to speak of the great despair when speaking of the virtue of Power. The great despair is an existential break through that occurs when an individual realizes that the foundations of their identity have the potential to or have crumbled; therefore leaving the individual with nothing of what defines or drives their existence. One must then realize that existence is in a perpetual state of despair as their is nothing concrete to base one’s identity on within this universe. One must create a purpose for their own existence; those who do not seek this power have no reason to exist. Forsaken who do not seek to better themselves might as well still be a part of the Scourge. The pursuit of power- to a purpose of existence requires one to not only be patient but cautious and subtle. Now I will briefly discuss the secondary virtues, those that are most important to the longevity of the individual; death and compassion. Death; one would reach the pinnacle of power when one has mastered death. It is vital to understand the importance of taking life as well as preserving it. A Forsaken must not kill indiscriminately, nor can they withhold death from the weak. To kill without reason only escalates the Forsaken’s risk of encountering a power too great to overcome. One who slays without cause may find themselves exhausted and therefore defenseless in the face of a true adversary. Likewise, a Forsaken who shows mercy to the weak and forgoes regular exercise of their power may gain a reputation for weakness, therefore drawing predators. A balance must be met and an individual must learn to read situations in order to best use the power of death for their own betterment. Compassion; a follower of the faith must always remember the hardships of the Forsaken people. We must never forget the struggles that we each face- while we do seek individual gains we must always recognize the importance of community and the survival of our kin. By showing compassion to your fellows you are increasing your own potential to achieve your goals. In dire times, such as these, we are all only as strong as those we surround ourselves with." Sermon Five- Life and Existing "Greetings to you all, it has been some time since I have stood before you and I welcome each face- new and old to tonight's lecture. As always this evening will become an open forum- each of you may speak freely and ask of me or each other wha t you will. I only request that all questions or comments are held until the lectures close at which point you will all be better equipped with an understanding of the topic. At my previous lectures I have spoken of a personal power. To quickly reiterate, the general concept I have been driving forward is that each individual is responsible for their own existence. Each person is responsible for their desires, their failures and their achievements. Each person may possess the power to shape their life in the image they desire. The tenacity to accomplish such goals must stem from the ultimate truth that our existence is meaningless- the only purpose we serve in this plane is the purpose one assigns to oneself and the will they exert to see that purpose fulfilled. This evening I wish to speak of the nature of existence- to open our eyes to the reality of the world and to inspire those who are lost to find grounds to continue with a purpose and seize their life for their own. Before I continue any further I wish to make an important distinction between life and the act of ‘being alive’- Life as I refer to it, is a state of ones existence, a phrase that plainly means that they do exist whether living or Forsaken. The reality of this world is that all who exist within it are sure to die. Not one person may outrun this fate, no matter how great they think to be, death will always recognize us. What I speak is true for all races- all beings within this universe. My brethren of the Forsaken, we are not spared from this fate. Although we have experienced death we still possess a life, we still exist within this world. We cannot outrun the clock of death anymore than any other being- it will catch us just as it catches them and we too will cease to exist. For this reason we must each recognize the significance of time and learn to balance ourselves within it so we may lead a life worth living. We must realize that our life is long and for that we are blessed- we possess a sufficient amount of time to exist and to experience what other beings would not. Our life is so generous that if we were to focus ourselves on our greatest desires we would surely be gifted with achievement. We must not be consumed by luxuries and carelessness or our life shall pass before we are aware it has passed. We must invest time within ourselves for the betterment of our existence, we must remain faithful to our purpose and strive to achieve that which is important. We cannot be wasteful of our lives, we cannot allow ourselves to be consumed by the despair of this world- we must accept the responsibility of our life and acknowledge that we have the power to shape it. Many follow no fixed aim, constantly shifting what they believe to be meaningful- what they believe to be purposeful. They are forever thrown into new plans and allow themselves to be whisked away in the nature of others ambitions or in their own confusion. These individuals become dissatisfied with life as they realize that only a small part of their existence has been spent living while a great deal was spent simply existing. Leaving them no closer to their goals then they found themselves years ago. We must lay a claim to ourselves and not allow our time to be wasted upon another. Worse than wasting your own time upon the silliness of indecision is the act of wasting time on another. Preoccupying yourself with the nature of anothers ambition, allowing yourself to become so consumed by another’s pursuit that you have adopted the others sleep schedule, walked by their pace and obeyed their orders. Allowing yourself to love and hate as they do with no mind to your own perceptions. If you wish to know how short your lives are then reflect how small a portion is really your own. Invest time within yourselves, set clear goals- define your purpose for existing and work towards those goals. Allow yourself to become inspired by life rather than consumed by it. Learn to live rather than to exist." Sermon Six- The Right to Life and Death "Greetings to you all, Recently my mind has been meditating over a controversial topic that has been circling across Azeroth- The Banshee Queens actions and practices in regards to the living and warfare. I have heard murmurs of accusations stating that our Queen is following in the Bastard Prince’s wake, taking up the mantle of ‘Lich Queen’ for herself. When I have confronted those who would speak out against our Queen I have found their reasoning to be unsound and lacking of the knowledge required to form such a harsh statement and claim truth within it. I cannot say I am surprised by the foremore mentioned circumstance, therefore, I have arranged this meeting with the specific intention to discuss the nature of our state, our Queen and our culture. My hope is to present each of you with the knowledge to form your own decision and the inspiration to delve deeper into the subject matter. A time may come when our Queen and culture become a topic of scrutiny by the masses and for this reason it is important that each of us be prepared to make and defend claims. Every person has a right to risk their own life in order to preserve it. Sylvanas, our Queen, is our leading body for our state. She represents the interests of all Forsaken and carries the burden of our will for existence. As our leader it is her responsibility to find the means necessary for us to continue our survival- these means will come with risks and even casualties. Our Queens actions of late are simply a way to secure our state from becoming a victim of murder, it is necessary for us to become murderers ourselves to prevent murder being done to us. As a result, we as a state our risking our lives -through high notoriety- to preserve our own existence. We are enacting, as a state, our basic right to exist. There will be those who will rise to say that our state and our culture have no right to exist- that as a people we are simply remnants of monsters. As a person we must each remember that we possess a rational- we have the ability to contemplate ourselves and to analyze ourselves. All that would entitle others to the right of life exists within us as well, in this sense, we are all equals. As a state, for our own preservation, it has become an established belief that no person should be made to die- even by example- if they are able to serve. It is a necessary means for our survival that our Queen converts those of the living to the Forsaken, it is vital that we continue to bolster our numbers to garner a larger influence to lay the claim that we deserve to exist. The more hostility we are faced with the greater our need for influence becomes. Our Queen is in no way a re-imagining of our former enemy, the Lich King, she is proving to be a resourceful leader and is doing what is necessary for the security of her people. I hope this evening's lecture has inspired you to continue your support of our Queen or perhaps swayed your opinion of her in a more positive light." Known Members Silaine Aldam (Feel free to edit and add your character or someone elses character to this list.) 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